November 18, 2010 0:500 AM Eastern Time

Smart appliances, which utilize two-way communications technologies to enable more efficient energy management at the household and utility levels, are an important element in realizing the full benefits of the smart grid. According to a new report from Pike Research, the smart appliance market, which includes smart grid-connected refrigerators, clothes washers and dryers, water heaters, dishwashers, and other appliances, is on the cusp of transitioning from the development stage to commercialization and growth.

The cleantech market intelligence firm anticipates that smart appliance unit sales will be quite small over the next few years, but will start to pick up the pace starting in the 2013 timeframe. Pike Research forecasts that a total of 118 million smart appliances will be sold worldwide during the years from 2010 to 2019, representing an annual market of $26.1 billion by the end of that period.

"Smart appliances will be a key part of the smart grid market in the long term, albeit not as quickly as many in the industry might hope," says senior analyst Bob Gohn. "Appliance manufacturers have been working with utilities and other technology vendors on pilot projects and, from a technology perspective, have now demonstrated that it is relatively easy to produce a home appliance that achieves utilities’ goals for energy management. However, the market is still grappling with business model issues, questions of user privacy and control, technology standards development, and consumer acceptance."

Gohn adds that smart appliances will only represent 2% of global household appliance sales by 2015, but by the end of the decade they will increase to 8% of the appliance market. Despite these small numbers, however, smart appliances will have an increasing influence on the market, as well as holding the potential to have a meaningful impact on residential energy consumption. Pike Research forecasts that smart refrigerators, water heaters, and washers and dryers will capture the lion’s share of the smart appliance market, followed by other appliances such as dishwashers and ovens.

Pike Research’s report, "Smart Appliances", examines the current state of the global smart appliance market including an analysis of market drivers and challenges, enabling technologies, regulatory factors, and key industry players. The study features detailed market forecasts of smart appliance unit shipments, revenues, and penetration rates, segmented by appliance product category and key world regions. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm’s website.

Pike Research is a market research and consulting firm that provides in-depth analysis of global clean technology markets. The company’s research methodology combines supply-side industry analysis, end-user primary research and demand assessment, and deep examination of technology trends to provide a comprehensive view of the Smart Energy, Clean Transportation, Clean Industry, and Building Efficiency sectors. For more information, visit